Opinion

Our democratic system is ailing, but the cure is lying right there in the middle of the road.

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This column is adapted from Jennifer Rubin’s contribution to the new essay collection, “The Centre Must Hold: Why Centrism Is the Answer to Extremism and Polarization.”

It’s no exaggeration to say that, as goes centrism, so goes democracy. In this time of turmoil, we desperately need both.

Conventional wisdom portrays the political center as on the ropes around the world. This month, President Emmanuel Macron ended the “centrist experiment” in France, coming in second in elections behind a left-wing coalition. In the United States, “RINO” and “neo-liberal” are dismissive epithets hurled at the center from the far right and left. Centrist solutions are derided by the fringes in their parties as inadequate to the daunting challenges we face.

But properly understood — and it rarely is — centrism embodies the best of American politics. And it provides the only real path forward for a diverse, fragmented and highly contentious democracy under strain. In fact, embedded within centrism are the precise tools we need to fix what ails our democracy.

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A dive into true centrism reveals its power and utility. But first, we have to dispense with some things that centrism is not. Centrism isn’t a mushy tendency to compromise. It isn’t a brain-dead fondness for style over substance. Above all, it is not to be confused with “moderation” — the futile and frankly foolish attempt to carve out a space halfway between the extremes of MAGA authoritarianism on the right and rabid nihilism from the left.

If climate change is a fact, to take one example, then splitting the difference with climate deniers is nonsensical. And if the MAGA movement assaults truth, then telling half of the truth or telling the truth half the time isn’t centrism. It’s absurdism, and a sure path to meaninglessness and nihilism.

Centrism, rather, is a mind-set. It’s more than humility, tolerance and restraint, although all of those are necessary elements. Above all, it’s an approach to governance, and not a list of specific policy prescriptions. It can be bold, pragmatic and popular.

And there’s nothing squishy about it.

Centrists don’t start coups

At its best, centrism appreciates that wisdom does not exist solely on one side or the other of the political spectrum, and it demonstrates the flexibility to combine the best of both traditional conservatives and progressives. Traditional conservatives have something to offer in defense of free-market capitalism, and they provide necessary caution against the unintended consequences of dramatic change. Progressives’ devotion to equal opportunity and willingness to remediate historic inequalities are essential as well.

Thus, being a centrist requires a willingness to admit that all wisdom does not reside on one side of the spectrum. It also requires flexibility to incorporate good ideas that may seem contradictory. Centrism recognizes that capitalism and regulation, individual merit and social justice, and diversity and cohesion not only can coexist but must operate in tandem within a healthy, balanced society. Centrism, in short, stands for the proposition that ideological tensions are best resolved when we incorporate elements from conflicting perspectives.

And here’s what’s so special about centrism: It works. Centrism can tame even the most serious divisions in heterogeneous societies.

Since President Biden’s stunning announcement that he will not run for reelection, praise has poured in not only for his selfless decision but also for a term of immense accomplishment. It is no coincidence that a quintessential political centrist achieved so much and now can provide Vice President Harris an enviable record on which to run. As we examine his presidency, we should not ignore the effectiveness of his centrist outlook in steadying the country during a tumultuous time.

Biden has combined spending with deficit reduction, and a historic investment in green energy, with market-based incentives. He found allies across the aisle despite disagreement on everything from infrastructure to microchip production to (finally) aid for Ukraine. His goals have been progressive, but in exuding moderation and borrowing the right amount of policy from right and left, he brought ballast to the presidency at a turbulent time.

Biden’s brand of centrism has produced one of the most successful legislative records in decades, reduced inflation and unemployment, goosed growth and contributed to a vast reduction in crime.

Centrism is also an electoral winner. In Britain, the Labour Party succeeded by moving to the center, providing a reasonable alternative to the faltering Tories. Its journey to the far left under Jeremy Corbyn was a disaster; its return to the center a stunning success. Biden’s centrism carried him to victory in the hard-fought 2020 Democratic primary, then went on to attract millions more votes than any presidential candidate in history in that general election. Going into this fall’s election, Biden centrism endures as a fundamentally strong platform, especially in contrast to the ever-more-radical agendas of many in the GOP. The latter turns out to be quite unpopular.

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Biden has also been a stalwart defender of democracy — another issue incompatible with halfway compromise. In fact, centrism is the ultimate........

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